Last year I challenged myself {and any of you who wanted to join} to spend $200 per month on groceries. It went pretty well for a few months, and then I ended up needing to drop it for a season. Sorry if you were in on the challenge and thought I just gave up. But now I'm back again! Things are still tight financially even though my hubby did just get a job with a bit more hours. That said, we still really need to be on this $200 a month budget so that we can pay our bills.
For those of you who weren't around for The 200 Challenge last year, it means that we commit to spend just $200.00 a month on food items, and if you want to you can include diapers, toilet paper, dish detergent, etc. in that budget too. It's basically a way to help us share and encourage each other to be frugal and a way to pass our ideas around.
Every month I'll have a link up post on my blog for the challenge and you can post on your blog about how you're doing on the challenge and then come link it up here on my blog. If you don't have a blog, you can still share in the comments! :-)
Also, I know that there are some families significantly larger. $200 is just what I think we can be spending, but if it is different for your family, adjust it accordingly.
On that note, would it be good to change the name of the challenge to be more inclusive for a wide range of family sizes and needs? I'd love to hear your ideas!
Okay, so for July I've spent $76.47 out of my $200 budget, leaving $123.53 left for the month. I haven't planned meals for the entire month yet, but you can go here to see my menu plan for this week. Below I've listed some more meals that we plan on eating this month too.
Lentil Rice Casserole
Chili Beans
Baked Zucchini Sticks
Mexican Layer Casserole
Taco Salad
Spaghetti
Bean, Rice, & Cheese Burritos
Taco Soup
Baked Potatoes
Scallion Cilantro Rice with Habaneros and Lime
Black Bean Soup
Stir Fry Veggies & Rice
Homemade Pizza
That's it for now! I'll be back later this month for an update. Watch for a link up here at the beginning of August, and come share how you did on the challenge for July!
1 comment:
Great idea! It's been really hard this summer to keep my grocery budget low. There have been many unexpected get-togethers with family and friends that I have found myself running to the grocery store for this or that 2 or 3 times a week {yikes!}. If my husband is on vacation, we also usually eat out once or twice in a single week.
I've decided to keep things relaxed this summer and just enjoy this time with our family. I'm hoping to get back on track this fall. Maybe I can join you then! :)
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